Post your best bird shots!

[PatrickH]

"Whenever I try any bird shots, I get deeper appreciation for the quality of the work posted by the stalwarts in this forum."

I'm right there with you by the way... I have found it incredibly challenging. Based on the recent M6 posts, I'm thinking about moving my 400mm to my M100 for more reach.

Great pose on the first Jays shot. Here's my latest attempt.

Clark's Nutcrackers

Snack Time by Patrick H, on Flickr

[Minerve101]

Love the nutcrackers!

I catch focus on more birds compared to when I started, but I still miss many shots. Last night some barn swallows were easy to find near the house, but they did not care to come very close to any place I stood.

2G2A1824 by dfwatsoneuro, on Flickr

[Joel Eade]

Carolina Wren

Near darkness but was anxious to try out new gear!

I suspect image quality will be much better with good light.




Canon R5
RF 800mm f/11
1/200 sec
iso 12,800

[Joel Eade]

Sample images from R5 + EF adapter + 600mm f/4 @ ISO 1600

[Joel Eade]

Sample images from R5 + 800mm f/11 in 1:6 crop mode @ iso 1600

[Joel Eade]

Sample of images from R5 + 800mm f/11 RF lens @ ISO 6400

[Kayaker72]

Great shots!

You are obviously giving up some bokeh/DOF with the f/11 lens, but it is still pretty pleasing bokeh (to my eye) and the partially blown out effect is nice.

[Joel Eade]

Great shots!

You are obviously giving up some bokeh/DOF with the f/11 lens, but it is still pretty pleasing bokeh (to my eye) and the partially blown out effect is nice.

Thanks!

I agree the bokeh at f/11 is not as smooth but isn't bad if the background is distant enough.

The sky was heavily overcast where I took the duck images and I was using spot metering.....so to get proper exposure on the bird the background was overexposed. It was only partially recoverable in processing.

The 800mm f/11 is small and light, easy to handle but the image quality isn't close to the 600mm f/4. Of course it's only about 7% the cost. It's fun to use and would be very easy to travel with too but I suspect most professionals would not like it.

I haven't decided if I am going to keep it.....I've been spoiled with the 500 and 600 f/4 lenses

I would love to try the new 100-500mm zoom. 1.6 crop mode with this lens would give field of view equal to an 800mm lens.

[Kayaker72]

Ha..ooops...I meant blurred out. Not blown out. Sorry. Agreed, it seems that if the background is far enough behind the subject, even at f/11, the partial blurring is actually pleasing....again to my eye.

[Joel Eade]

Dove portrait

Canon R5 + 800mm f/11
1/200 sec
iso 6400